Improved lighting required - Page 1 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

My 61 Cayman R has poverty spec lighting. Main bean is OK, but going back to dipped is like switching the lights off. Can anyone suggest upgrade options please.

I drive with my fogs on in the R at night all the time. they are so poor people just think they are driving lights, but it helps loads. I have never ever been flashed because I have my front fogs on, but I get flashed all the time in my Mini just because the xenons are bight dipped any way even with fogs on a Merc xenon are twice as bright ,not sure how some cars get away with lights so bright, esp 4x4 when the height o na light is so high ! I also have changed my bulbs but the improvement is nothing to write home about, and imo not worth the effort. So you only have 2 options drive with fogs on at night. or fit the 65W rally bulbs, which while not legal will still be no where near a Merc xenon so no one would never know any way. Its like fitting a main beam to a dipped location so I am sure the wiring can take the Watt draw. standard Porsche lights are very bad !!!

You could try a simple bulb upgrade change to start with see how you get on. I used phillips exteme bulbs in my CR i am happy with these no xenons but better on dipped than the standard bulbs. Osram nightbreacker is another upgrade on the market Edited by tracydeedance on Thursday 11th December 10:15

Driving with fogs on in any conditions other than poor visibility is illegal and likely to attract the bib - as if P cars don't do that anyway.

I believe these may help :

Trev450 said: Driving with fogs on in any conditions other than poor visibility is illegal and likely to attract the bib - as if P cars don't do that anyway. As I said as most cars have ultra bright driving lights on as standard now , turning on some dull fogs is still not as bright as all these mercs driving about. I get flashed maybe 3 times a week in the mini because of xenons, never been flashed with the R with fogs on as they are still dull as **** Just trying to give the OP some sound advice on how to even see the road, as in winter Porsche lights on dipped beam are useless.

mrdemon said: I drive with my fogs on in the R at night all the time. bad form that, one of the most annoying things 'other drivers' do

mrdemon said: Trev450 said: Driving with fogs on in any conditions other than poor visibility is illegal and likely to attract the bib - as if P cars don't do that anyway. As I said as most cars have ultra bright driving lights on as standard now , turning on some dull fogs is still not as bright as all these mercs driving about. I get flashed maybe 3 times a week in the mini because of xenons, never been flashed with the R with fogs on as they are still dull as **** Just trying to give the OP some sound advice on how to even see the road, as in winter Porsche lights on dipped beam are useless. I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that you could fall foul of the law using them in normal conditions.

Interesting tohear of Mr Demon's problem with Mini. My wife has a Mini and is frequenty being flashed by other drivers - she quite enjoys it I think !!

Slippydiff said: I believe these may help : What's up doc!!

Beanoir said: bad form that, one of the most annoying things 'other drivers' do in yester year yes or if you have LED fogs, but you cannot see the road in a Cayman !!! So yes while I would have agree with that comment 10 years ago. modern cars have such bright lights it makes no odds on the Cayman to use them as driving light.

I have just put Osram nightbreakers in my daily hack, it has made a decent difference, its now not dangerous as i thought it was that bad before. Worth a try as they are under £20 a pair.

My pet hate people driving with Fogs on when it is clearly not foggy .....and as stated it is illegal... no and's if or but's...and carries a fine if stopped .Check with your local traffic police if in doubt . If I get some one coming towards me with them on I usually flash my lights at the oncoming car. I find it is usually young guys in hot hatches seem to think it looks cool with them on . I agree it lights up the road ahead but it is still illegal non the less . The lights on my Spyder are poor on dipped but tend to use it during daylight times so not a great issue.

mrdemon said: in yester year yes or if you have LED fogs, but you cannot see the road in a Cayman !!! So yes while I would have agree with that comment 10 years ago. modern cars have such bright lights it makes no odds on the Cayman to use them as driving light. Just get some better bulbs or use full beam like we did in 'yester year'. Using fogs in weather other than fog is illegal for a reason, they're dangerous to oncoming traffic, it's not your choice to make. Edited by Beanoir on Friday 12th December 17:13

Thanks guys. I have tried the carrots but they would not fit into the bulb sockets. I will try the Osram's instead.

Just spent two days driving up/down the A1 from Lincoln to London and back. The return journeys were in the dark. I came to an odd conclusion. Where there are decent roads with recent white paint and proper catseyes, the normal headlights are fine. However, some stretches have white lines that are barely an inch wide, no right hand lane markings at all and no catseyes. In this case, I doubt that even xenons would be that useful. The only option was to slow down and drive within visibility - thankfully only a few hundred metres in each case.